This invention relates to multi-component foam dispensing kits and, more particularly, it concerns a can retention and actuating assembly by which a pair of valve-fitted aerosol cans are supported for packaging and simultaneous discharge of foam components separately contained in the respective cans.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,559,890 - Brooks, 3,575,391 -Safianoff, 3,613,956 McCulloch, and 4,496,081-Farrey are representative of prior art related to arrangements for retaining a pair of valve-fitted aerosol cans physically positioned relative to a mechanism for simultaneously opening the respective valves of both cans to pass the foam component contents of the cans to a mixing nozzle for discharge as foam. The disclosures of these patents also represent a specific category within a larger class of disposable urethane foam dispensing kits which have enjoyed a high degree of commercial success for the past several years and which includes kits designed to contain and discharge much larger quantities of foam than the aerosol can kits shown in these patents. Nevertheless, the relatively small aerosol can foam dispensing kit represented by the afore-mentioned patent disclosures is an important adjunct to a product line of disposable urethane foam kits marketed by a single supplier.
With reference again to the disclosures of the above-cited patents, two types of aerosol can kits are represented. For example, the disclosures of the Brooks, Safianoff and McCulloch patents are similar in the sense that the can mounted valves, though simultaneously actuated, are actuated by a trigger mechanism or equivalent by which the cans remain open to dispense the foam components only while they are manually retained in an open condition. The discharge of foam components from the respective aerosol cans is to a dispensing nozzle which may be held in one hand while the other hand retains the cans and the actuating trigger mechanism position to open the can valves. In other words, in all three of these patents only one device is provided for controlling the discharge of foam components from the aerosol cans.
The Farrey patent, on the other hand, includes a mechanism for opening the can mounted valves and a separate metering valve for controlling flow of both foam components from the open can valves to a separately held discharge nozzle. This general arrangement has demonstrated greater appeal in the marketplace than the first-mentioned type of discharge control primarily because it enables the discharge of foam from the nozzle to be metered and more accurately controlled. In other words, the aerosol can valves, by themselves, are capable of actuation only between fully open and fully closed conditions with no potential for an intermediate or metered flow of components through these valves. In addition, the primary focus of attention by one using such aerosol can kits is at the nozzle so that by placing the valve controlling discharge from the nozzle to be operated by the same hand of the operator controlling movement of the nozzle, enhanced operation results.
In the Farrey patent disclosure, the two aerosol cans are retained in side-by-side positional relationship by molded end brackets which snap over opposite ends of the two cans. A pair of nipple fittings are mounted on the can valve stems and are bridged by a T-shaped member. An elongated threaded key is passed through an aperture in an end bracket on one end of the cans and threadably received in the end bracket at the opposite end of the can. As a result of this organization, when it is desired to discharge foam from the cans, the threaded key is first tightened so as to draw the T-shaped member against the nipple fittings and the can mounted valves to move them from a closed to an open position. While the arrangement disclosed in the Farrey patent is effective from the standpoint of attaining simultaneous opening movement of the can valves, the threaded key is tedious to use and becomes an impediment to a quick reclosure of the can mounted valves should such reclosure be necessary in the event of hose or tube breakage between the cans and the mixing nozzle, for example. Perhaps more significantly, the assembly of components required to package the device shown in the Farrey patent is expensive both from the standpoint of the amount of plastic material required to mold the several required parts and also from the standpoint of time required to assemble the cans with the apparatus. Hence, there is need for improvement in the dual control type of aerosol can dispenser kits of the type described.